Healy Blasts Another Century to Power the Australian Team into World Cup Final Four

The Australian skipper has produced brilliant back-to-back hundreds to lead her squad into the semi-finals of the World Cup, driving them to a commanding 10-wicket trouncing over Bangladesh.

Healy finished not out on 113 runs, arriving just four days after her similarly stellar 142 that defeated hosts India at the same Vizag stadium. This time, she combined in an unbroken double-century opening partnership with Phoebe Litchfield (84no) to dash to their target of 199 runs in just under 25 deliveries.

“I thought I was a below par with the gloves, and probably a bit as skipper as well tonight, but we’ll take the two points and progress,” Healy remarked.

Ironically, the utmost expertise of the day's run-chase as the pair added 202 runs followed possibly Australia’s shoddiest display in the field under Healy’s leadership, with the skipper scolding herself in especial for dropping two of the half-dozen chances that were missed.

“I felt somewhat let down with my wicketkeeping, and I needed to compensate with the bat, and luckily delivered,” Healy continued.

From the time data was first recorded on fielding statistics in 2013, the half-dozen missed opportunities marked Australia’s worst fielding display at a World Cup tournament.

“Maybe it’s just that phase of the competition – we’ve been here a little while, and it’s an issue we’ll review,” Healy commented.

This allowed the opposition to manage 198 for 9 after they had chosen to bat, their highest total in an ODI against the Aussies, with Sobhana Mostary compiling the maiden fifty ever for the Asian side against the world champions.

But Alana King mesmeric continuous ten-over spell, in which she claimed 2-18 with four maiden overs, was key to ensuring the team's target wasn’t too challenging.

Healy Pleased with Win that Confirms Knockout Place

The Australian skipper was thrilled to learn that the victory, which places her undefeated side at the top of the standings on nine points after four wins and a abandoned match, guarantees them a berth in the last-four. “That's great news,” she exclaimed.

The 35-year-old skipper sped to her hundred off just 73 deliveries, the fastest hundred of the World Cup, and finished with 20 boundaries off the 77 balls she faced as she accelerated from her partner in the latter stages in the innings after they had gone almost boundary-for-boundary towards their half-centuries.

The Opener Impresses with Maiden Tournament Fifty

The young batter Phoebe Litchfield hit 12 boundaries and one maximum, reaching to her maiden World Cup half-century off 46 deliveries soon after her partner got there off 43. They went on to record the third-best partnership by any Aussie pair at a Women’s World Cup.

In the first innings, during the sluggish fielding display, the captain spilled the easiest of chances off Darcie Brown and also was unable to grasp a difficult skied one off Annabel Sutherland. Frustratingly, she also did take a clean chance off Brown but failed to review when the umpire rejected their shout.

The recalled Darcie Brown sent down the quickest deliveries at the World Cup so far but was nonetheless the team's most expensive bowling option, going for 0-52 off her nine overs.

Spinners Thrive as Alana King Stars

Instead, the spinners excelled, spearheaded by King, whose spell could have been even more productive if Beth Mooney hadn’t missed one in the slips.

Other spin bowlers Georgia Wareham (two for 22 off seven) and Ash Gardner (two for 48 off nine) both chipped in, while Annabel Sutherland consolidated her position as the tournament’s leading wicket-taker with her two for 41, taking her tally to 13.

Rubya Haider’s 44 and another's unbeaten 66 off 80 deliveries took the team to their record total against the Australians, but the target was made to look straightforward by a team who had chased down 330 runs against the Indian side four days earlier.

“It's fantastic when you’ve got the ‘Q’ next to your name in a World Cup,” remarked player-of-the-match King. “No doubt it won't end here. We anticipate going back to Indore to face England and the Proteas.”